Cheltenham Festival - Dark Horses

Matt Morris / 11:28 AM GMT • 26th November, 2025

6 minutes

Senior Racing Writer takes you through his Dark Horses looking to go under the radar for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

We’ve already seen some seriously impressive performances in recent weeks, with several horses stamping their authority on the early ante-post markets , particularly those emerging from Closutton. Final Demand, Kopek Des Bordes, Lossiemouth, Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File have all produced eye-catching displays. This weekend brings another key moment in the season with a fascinating Fighting Fifth showdown, where three talented performers will line up and almost certainly reshape the Champion Hurdle market. Yet even with a number of major stars dominating the headlines, there remain several intriguing contenders lurking lower down the betting who could make their presence felt come March. Here are a few that have caught my eye:

AMNES - TRIUMPH HURDLE

Notoriously one of the toughest races for punters—especially for anyone playing ante-post—the Triumph can be a minefield. Even so, I think James Owen’s inmate is a shade overpriced. I was genuinely taken with his hurdles debut at Sedgefield. The race itself may not amount to much in hindsight, but visually he was very pleasing, jumping and travelling smoothly for a horse tackling a new discipline. He then comfortably defied a penalty at Chepstow, scoring by eleven lengths.

His flat ability is already well established: sixth of nineteen in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and runner-up at Glorious Goodwood. James Owen excels with these types, and this horse looks the sort to win plenty under both codes.

His bubble was burst at Wetherby when beaten three-quarters of a length at 2/5, but he seemed to be given just a little too much to do. If that race were run again, I’d expect him to reverse the form with a handier position and cleaner jumping. I only hope the defeat hasn’t knocked Owen’s inclination to be ambitious with him, because he’s a very likeable type and few juveniles will bring stronger flat form to hurdles this season.

At 66/1, I don’t mind having a small play on him for the Triumph Hurdle. And if he turns up in the 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle on the opening day of the Grand National Festival, I’d be backing him there as well.

GIDLEIGH PARY - RYANAIR CHASE

Harry Fry’s son of Walk In The Park GIDLEIGH PARY has not been the easiest to train and has already suffered a setback with an irregular heartbeat, so he’s not one to place absolute faith in. That said, there’s no denying the immense raw ability he possesses.

He announced himself by winning a Chepstow bumper by six lengths, comfortably accounting for The Jukebox Man, who has since developed into a top-class chaser and a major contender for this year’s King George. He remained unbeaten over hurdles until finishing sixth in the Albert Bartlett, and with his size and scope he always looked destined to excel over fences.

Though pulled up at Kempton due to a heart issue, he bounced back at Windsor, defeating Caldwell Potter, who went on to win at both Cheltenham and Aintree. He then ran a superb race at Aintree behind Impaire Et Passe and followed it with a solid second to Jango Baie in the 1965 Chase at Ascot.

I wouldn’t expect him to have the ability to challenge Fact To File, but If Harry Fry can keep him healthy and on track, there’s no question he could outrun his odds  in March.

QUILIXIOS - CHAMPION CHASE

Henry De Bromhead’s gelding can be somewhat hit-and-miss, leaving punters unsure of exactly what to expect each time he lines up. He is more exposed than several of his rivals in the Champion Chase market, but there’s no question he has the talent to make his presence felt. Currently trading around 33/1, he may not appeal as an ante-post proposition as a defeat or two en route to Cheltenham could see his price drift, but he remains a runner well worth keeping on the radar.

A talented hurdler who landed the Triumph in 2021, he has since transferred that ability to fences. Just over a year ago he bolted up at Naas, putting seven and a half lengths between himself and subsequent Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale. In last season’s Champion Chase he was mounting a powerful challenge when coming down at the last, with the front pair nearly twenty lengths clear of Jonbon. If returning in similar form, he could re-emerge as a major force in the spring.

WENDIGO - BROWN ADVISORY

Final Demand delivered an awesome display on chasing debut and is now a very short price for the Brown Advisory at the festival. He looks likely to be extremely difficult to beat and certainly looks the most likely winner. However, there still appears to be value in others in the betting at each way prices with three places available. The theory behind this is a horse of Final Demand’s stature has a tendency to scare away competitors, arriving on the day at a very short price with only a handful of rivals to beat. Therefore, each way antepsot bets can be a decent approach at this stage as three places may not be available on the day. For example, the Willie Mullins trained Monkfish arrived at the festival unbeaten over fences and beat five rivals at a price of 1/4, with the second home six and a half lengths behind at 40/1. The same scenario looks very possible this year.

At 33/1 each way, my play in the race is the Jamie Snowden trained Wendigo. He progressed nicely through bumpers and novice hurdles, finishing a strong-staying second in the Challow Hurdle before a good fifth in the Albert Bartlett at the festival. He was narrowly beaten on his chasing debut at Worcester just over a month ago. He travelled and jumped fluently throughout, only failing to hold off a determined Sean Bowen drive aboard Wade Out, who has since boosted the form by winning a Listed race at Cheltenham by three and a quarter lengths. The fourth horse, Excelero, has also franked the form with a nine-and-a-half-length win at Warwick, while Pic Roc, who unseated at the eighth, has since strolled home by seventeen lengths. It’s form that is working out exceptionally well, and Wendigo is expected to improve as the season progresses. The Brown Advisory trip should bring out the best in him and he looks as good a bet as any to be involved at the business end in March, even if he may fall just short of toppling the short-priced favourite.

FEET OF A DANCER - MARES HURDLE

Paul Nolan’s mare FEET OF A DANCER, has been a remarkably consistent handicap performer, competing in some of the most competitive and valuable races over the past few seasons. She produced strong placed efforts in tough contests at Leopardstown before running an excellent race to finish fourth of twenty-four in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival. She very rarely runs a bad race and is a hugely likeable and reliable mare.

She returned for the season in a Listed Mares’ Hurdle at Punchestown and was highly impressive, sprinting clear to score by nine lengths, with the odds-on Willie Mullins favourite trailing back in fourth. Although she’s on the smaller side, her size means Paul Nolan is keen to avoid the burden of big handicap weights, so the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival now looks the most likely target.

With leading contenders such as Woodhooh and Lossiemouth not guaranteed to line up in the spring, her current price of 20/1 with three places available reflects interesting each-way potential for those assessing the market.